The idea of dragons struck Trance rather curiously. If they have robot horses and dragons, “What is your military like, what do they use?” he finally asked.
“Our military isn’t very interesting. It hasn’t changed much for eons. Our main military is made up of knights of various degrees. And there are the local sheriff departments that provide local security.”
Trance looked at Chorus, surprised, and tried to comprehend. This planet had robot animals for transportation, yet had knights for its military. There had been knights on Earth in the past, approximately five to seven hundred years before Trance had been born. He had studied that part of history quite well for years. It was his favorite subject. He would have loved to be a knight. Trance asked, trying to understand, “You mean with swords, shields, spears, bows and arrows?”
Chorus replied, just as surprised that Trance knew about knights, “Yes, they still use those weapons plus axes, maces and such. It’s considered quite an honor to be a knight. All of the worlds around about have knights.”
“Awesome!” Trance exclaimed. Growing up on Earth he had always loved to play and pretend that he was a knight. His dad had made him and his brother a number of wooden swords and other weapons to play with. Many times Trance and his brother, Sammy, had played knights and had battles with their friends from school and the neighborhood. One such time there were thirty boys over at the Sonderson’s yard waging a make-believe battle that lasted from morning just after breakfast until dark when they all had to go home for supper.
“How do you know about knights?” asked Chorus curiously.
“We had knights on my world for a while. Then the militaries started making more powerful weapons. That was several centuries before I was born. I always did enjoy that period of history, and my brother and I used to watch programs about them and played knights in our yard,” said Trance as he reflected back with fond memories.
They discussed more topics from the seasons to society, different kingdoms, and how Trance might possibly become a knight. Their conversation was pleasant and both enjoyed hearing about the other’s world. Without realizing it they had arrived at the farmhouse, and as they dismounted the horse a short plump woman came out of the house.
She had shoulder length brown hair flecked with silver and was wearing a cream-colored blouse spotted with flour and dark pants and leather slippers. “What took you so long?” she asked Chorus, surprised that he’d been out longer than normal before stopping for breakfast. And then she saw the boy and looked at Chorus questioningly. Without saying a word her look asked who was the stranger and where he’d come from.
“Maxine, this is Trance Sonderson. He’s from Earth, aboard one of those strange ships that have been talked about on the news for the last few months. His ship must have been one of them that the Boulthorians had destroyed. I found him and his escape craft a couple of miles from here in the woods. I suggested that he stay with us until his family is found,” explained Chorus, looking at his wife pleasantly and wondering what she might say to providing room and board to a stranger.
“Hello Trance,” Maxine said politely. She looked at Chorus wonderingly and then made up her mind and turned back to Trance and said invitingly, “Welcome to our home. Come on in and we’ll get you cleaned up and you can get some breakfast. You probably haven’t had anything to eat for a long time.” She moved to invite him in and looked back at Chorus. “Come in and get your breakfast. I’ll have your lunch ready about noon.”
Chorus got the message and entered the house to eat. As he sat at the table and filled his plate he looked at Maxine as an idea struck him, “I’m going to get Willis to help me get the chamber out of the forest before I start again.” He then bent his head and said a quiet prayer and began to eat.
Maxine turned to Trance and smiled, unsure of how to proceed. She made up her mind to be hospitable, and being a good mother and hostess motioned him to the door. “Come on, I was just making breakfast for the rest of the family.”
Trance looked nervous as he looked at the house and said humbly, “Thank you. Are you sure you have enough?”
“Oh yes, there’s plenty,” she said smiling more. She was starting to like him more. He seemed lost and vulnerable to her at the moment, and she decided to take him under her motherly wing.
Right inside the door was the kitchen and attached dining room. There was a modern stove against the right-hand wall, a counter going just about clear around the room. Trance noticed the source of the flour on Maxine’s blouse. On the counter there was a large mixing bowl with a towel draped across the top and a sprinkling of flour on the counter next to it. Trance had seen his mother make bread enough times in the past to know what Maxine had been doing. As he looked further around the room he saw the cupboards on the walls above the counters. He took in their glass doors and marveled at the efficient way they were arranged. In the center of the dining area was a fair-sized table and chairs that appeared to be made of mahogany. The table was already set for five.
As Maxine went about and set another place at the table for him, Trance suddenly smelled something wonderful. The smell had been tickling his nose since he had entered the house, but he had been too busy taking in the kitchen and dining room to have noticed. He looked back at the stove and noticed the source of the smell. On the stovetop were two skillets sizzling away and one hot griddle. In one skillet was what looked like bacon, the second eggs, and he figured the griddle must be for pancakes.
“That smells wonderful,” Trance exclaimed his mouth already starting to water. “That looks like bacon, a meat we had on Earth,” he said as he went over and looked at the thin strips of frying meat.
Maxine looked at him smiling more at his compliment and explained, “Thank you Trance. That is sliced sager.” She explained it was an animal that was a cross between a cow and a boar. The meat she was frying came from the same place on the animal as bacon from a pig. “Those are called flatcakes,” indicating a stack of them already fried, “and of course heniver eggs.”
Trance smelled them deeply and said, “The flatcakes look like my mother’s pancakes back home. We also had eggs.” He was very happy to talk to her about the kinds of food he’d had back on Earth. He was amazed how similar the food was.
Suddenly Maxine had a thought as she looked at him and noticed what Trance was wearing. It just occurred to her that this was probably the only clothing that he had. She went to the doorway to the hall and called, “Martin, please come here a moment.” She turned to Trance, “I think that before you have breakfast that you might want to use the restroom and put something else on.”
Just then a tall, broad-shouldered boy with dark brown hair and brown eyes came in. He appeared to be about sixteen and had obviously been out to help his father on days that he wasn’t in school. “I’m here, what do you need mom?” he said, right before he saw Trance and equally eyed him not sure what was going on.
“Martin, I want you to meet Trance. Trance, this is my son Martin. Martin, Trance is going to be staying with us for a while,” Maxine said, explaining. “I want you to show him where the bathroom is and find him some of your clothes to wear. We’ll go and get him some of his own later today, but right now he needs something else to wear. By the way, are your sisters awake yet?”
“I think they’re still in bed yet,” Martin said, and then he extended his hand to Trance and they shook hands. He then turned to his mother and told her that he would do as she had asked. He took Trance down the hall and showed him where the bathroom was, patiently waited for him to relieve himself and then took him to his room at the end of the hall. Inside one of the rooms that they passed girls’ voices could be heard. Martin stopped and knocked on the door and voiced up, “Hey, mom wants to see you two in a minute.”
The two boys went into Martin’s bedroom and shut the door and went to the closet and started searching for something for Trance to wear. As he searche
d for clothes, Martin started asking Trance questions about who he was and where he was from. The two boys talked as Trance took off the suit and put on a light knit-shirt that reminded Trance of a t-shirt, a pair of very well-worn dark brown leather pants and a pair of well-worn shoes, which Trance assumed were athletic shoes. Soon the two were becoming friends. They talked on and on, sharing stories long enough that there was a knock on the door and Martin’s mother called.
“Are you two ready yet? Breakfast is ready and we’re waiting for you,” she said, just like any mother Trance thought.
They left the bedroom and continued their conversation back down the hall toward the dining room. Martin had been telling Trance about the different worlds in the galaxy and about the wicked Sphinx King that seemed to be trying to take over the entire area. The Sphinx seemed to have many allies, one of which was the Boulthorians.
“The Boulthorians,” Martin explained, “are ruthless people with a rather evil king and a very fearsome prince. The news has said that the prince is very devoted to his father and is quite at ease that his father is king. The king has absolute power. Some people even say that they had heard that the prince doesn’t even want to be king. What is known for sure is that the Boulthorians are the most feared and lethal allies of the Sphinx.”
Trance soon learned that Althora also had allies. The most powerful were the Griffins. They were the balance against the Sphinx. The Griffins and Sphinx had been at odds for thousands of years. The Griffins were fierce, yet very just and compassionate. They also knew history and prophecy and were experts on politics and religion.
On entering the dining room Trance was introduced to Martin’s sisters. Margaretta was a petite girl of twelve with light brown hair. Then there was a tall dark-haired girl, Martina, Martin’s twin sister. The girls giggled and one at a time came up and met Trance. It was apparent that their mother had told them about him. Trance took notice that Chorus must have eaten and headed out.
They all sat down at the table and Martin was asked to give thanks. They bowed their heads and Trance was very pleasantly surprised that they worshipped God too. They then started in with their breakfast and Trance asked about their religion and how they worshipped. He found out that there were many churches that were rather similar to those that he remembered from Earth. He even learned that they had Bibles and he was invited to read Martin’s Bible whenever he wished to learn about God’s plan for their world. They talked on for a while, everyone enjoying the conversation. The Markems were just as fascinated with Trance’s stories of growing up on Earth, as he was to hear of Althora. Trance greatly enjoyed sharing as many of the Bible stories as he could remember. He was impressed with himself that he remembered them so readily and completely.
The day progressed. Trance helped around the house and just seemed to fit in with everyone. Later in the day some of Martin’s friends came over and Trance found himself greeted by the other boys and soon they were involved in a game outside that was like basketball. Trance enjoyed himself so much he didn’t feel the pain deep inside from missing his real family and wondering if they had survived as well and where they were.
Also that day some of the girls’ friends had stopped by. Some of their brothers had been among Martin’s friends and had told them about Trance, and they had come to see him for themselves. It was one of the best days Trance had ever had. It was the first weekend day and every kid in the area seemed to be out playing.
The following day Trance dressed in some of Martin’s good clothes and joined the family as they went to church that morning. The service was very nice and was much like the services from his church back home. He impressed many people in the congregation. They all knew of the Earth people but he was the first one that they had ever met. Trance was also excited to receive his own copy of the Bible from their minister. He couldn’t wait to get back and start reading it.
As the days passed, he helped Chorus and Martin in the fields. He learned how to use all of the tools in the barn, how to drive all of the robot animal vehicles and how to care for them. He also learned about the farm animals, how to care for them and what they were used for. The Markems had sagers and henivers as well as cows, more like small bison, and large boars. The animals were quite fascinating. Every day he would go out and feed them and gather up the heniver eggs. He felt quite at home and felt his muscles getting stronger and stronger. His endurance was also increasing to where it was before the global escape from Earth. As he helped outside he started to develop a tan and he felt healthier than when he had first awakened from the deep sleep chamber.
But, much as he liked living with and helping Chorus and his family, he still missed his family. He prayed daily that God was watching over them. He often imagined what it would be like to see them once again. Still he was plagued by the dread that they were dead. Chorus was very understanding and encouraged Trance to talk to him about his feelings. He promised to try to find out what had happened to Trance’s ship and where his family was.
On a happier note, Trance did have great fun with them. His most fun came when they went to town shopping. The stores and businesses were very interesting, but what he enjoyed most was seeing and talking to the knights that patrolled the town. His mind lingered on them most of the time. When he was growing up he had always dreamed of being a knight, slaying dragons, battling other knights, and rescuing and romancing maidens. And now he found himself in a place where those dreams could come true.
In town he learned from the knights how he could go about becoming a knight. They told him that he would have to take the Knight class at school and learn about basic knighthood. This class would teach him the very basics in military courtesies and combat maneuvers. The class would also teach him the basics of the seven main types of weapons that knights used: sword, ax, bow and crossbow with arrows and bolts, spear, military dagger, mace, and the weapons that were combinations, such as the halberd, a spear with an ax head. There were even a variety of military flails, a spiked metal ball attached to a chain that went to the handle in the same weapon category. All of the knights carried a small dagger as well as their main weapon and shield.
Through talking with the knights he also discovered that a troop of knights was divided in seven groups, one group for each main weapon. There were ten men in each group, a total of seventy men in the whole troop.
Trance’s observations showed that all of the knights wore surcoats over their suits of armor. These were made of all sorts of fabric and had a design on them, such as a dragon or unicorn (these creatures actually existed on Althora). The armor the knights wore was composed of plates that were smooth and had a rounded look. The plates were ergonomically shaped to the body and covered an inner layer of chain mail. The knights wore what looked like an athletic boot that just came up to cover the ankle where it met the bottom edge of the plates covering the lower legs. They also wore what Trance thought looked like fingerless athletic gloves. Their helmets for the foot soldiers, or pawns, resembled football helmets with a solid chin guard like a motorcycle helmet and a face shield that could tint in the sun.
The true knights that rode on their sleek war-horses had helmets more like a motorcycle helmet with its chin guard and face shield. “It is the belief here on Althora that the armor works best if the knight has more freedom to move in it. If you do become a knight you’ll learn that there is no perfect armor. All have a weakness. It’s just a matter of learning to protect your weak points and exploiting your opponents. Even the Boulthorians’ more angled armor isn’t perfect,” one knight told Trance.
Each knight also had a small, shield-shaped badge that was worn over the heart. The badge had a picture of either a standing knight, which indicated that he was a pawn or foot soldier, or a knight seated on a horse. The badge also had a letter and number. The letter referred to the weapon that the knight carried, and the number referred to his troop number.
Trance also learned that the b
adges were different colored in order to indicate their rank. He learned that the knight with the gold badge was the captain. There were two knights that had silver badges. They were the lieutenants, the knight with the small number one in the right corner of the badge indicated that he was the first lieutenant and second in command. The other lieutenant had a small number two, second lieutenant, and number three in command. There were three knights with bronze badges, who were sergeants; from highest to lowest, master, weapons, and order sergeants. Blue was for the corporals, red for chevaliers, and white for solitaires.
Trance also saw and learned about the impressive robot horses that the knights rode. They were custom-built and much larger and more powerful than the horse on the Markem’s farm. They were sleeker than the ordinary horses ridden to town by the regular citizens and much more armored. He also heard that they had a hidden weapon system that could be used by the riding knight or run automatically by the horse’s computer to defend itself on a battlefield. Even as well armed and armored as the knights and pawns were, they told him that it was still extremely dangerous.
Another amazing thing that he noticed was to see farmers dressed in faded and frayed leather or canvas pants and cotton or wool work shirts walking around town among the business people in their fine linen clothing and the knights and pawns in armor. It was so different to see the unusual combination of people in town acting just as normal as could be. In a large way Trance thought he had just entered a vast Renaissance festival. Adding to the mix of people’s fashion, the ladies leaned toward a combination of bohemian and Renaissance with a touch of gothic. He noticed that butterfly sleeves and split sleeves were the rage. For boys and men the fashion was more basic, t-shirts and canvas pants in blue and brown tones. The wealthy and affluent wore more elaborate garb. The colors ranged from basic to bright and colorful to dark muted tones.
Space Knights: The Arrival Page 7